A personal cheer for every marathon runner in Eindhoven

Five design agencies pitched their ideas for the finish line of the Eindhoven Marathon this morning. After a deliberation by the selection panel, Jelle Mastenbroek was declared the winner. His idea highlights the personal motivations of the runners and these are brought back throughout the marathon.

Impressie van de finishIllustratie Jelle Mastenbroek

Along the route, there will be banners and boards with the motivations that the runners had written themselves when they registered. At the toughest parts of the race, there will be boards that can read, via a chip, who is passing by, so that personal motivation can be given to the runners. Arne Hendriks, a member of the selection panel, talked about this: “We were all struck by the idea of placing banners with personal messages and motivation that the public and other runners can recognize. In this manner, you experience the marathon as collective and not alone.”

In addition to the personal aspect, there will also be additional motivation via a ‘Medal Caravan’ which will exhibit the medals to the runners and the public. As soon as the runners cross the finish line, they will walk through a sea of flags where the personal motivations will be seen again. Hendriks says: “The medal car acts as a means of communication in the city where everyone can experience the event. Eindhoven Marathon is a friendly and cheerful marathon, you can get close to it, and this design is well-suited to it.”

“Eindhoven Marathon is a friendly and cheerful marathon, you can get close to it, and this design is well-suited to it.”

Jelle Mastenbroek reacts enthusiastically to his win: “It is great that I have won it. Reality can now begin, I can consult with other parties, and I am excited to expand this concept and get to work on it. What if Lab is a good initiative to connect clients with designers. I think it’s a nice challenge to do an appropriate project.”

Martijn Paulen, director of the Dutch Design Foundation, commented on the competition: “At the Dutch Design Foundation, we think it’s very important to bring clients and designers together. Designers ask new questions, look at problems differently, and can really add something. I wish that everyone becomes a little enamored with them. That is why we want to bring the work of the designers closer to the people.”

This contest is a part of the What if Lab and was organized by the Dutch Design Foundation. What if Lab is there to allow designers to offer solutions to challenges in the business world so that designers can work together and broaden their network.

The winner has until 7 July to elaborate on the design and make it concrete, then it will be presented again. If the final design is approved, the designer will receive a budget of ten thousand euro to accomplish the project. The Eindhoven Marathon traditionally takes place on the second Sunday in October. This year that is 8 October.